There’s One Big Word That Will Keep Yellowstone Thriving

CONSTRUCTION

It takes a lot of work to keep one of the nation's top 10 biggest and oldest national parks in tip-top shape and ready for millions of visitors every year—work that Yellowstone National Park experts say will never end.

According to NPS.Gov/Yell

Since 2020, Yellowstone has invested $1.549 billion into improving infrastructure across the park.

Crews work from when the snow begins melting in the spring until the weather stops the process in the fall to complete as many projects as possible. There are 453 miles of road and nearly 1,750 structures with wear and tear that must be maintained, fixed, and sometimes rebuilt to prepare the park for the tourist season each year.

With the short work season, more extensive projects, like the Yellowstone River Bridge project, will take years to complete. It's estimated the project won't be completed until sometime in 2026

The new bridge will be 1,175 feet long and 162 feet high, stretching over the Yellowstone River below. We are also expanding the Yellowstone River Picnic Area and overlook parking areas. This huge project, funded by the #GreatAmericanOutdoorsAct, is slated to be finished sometime in 2026!

The list of projects currently on the park's agenda is estimated to cost around $1.3 Billion. The funding comes from tax dollars, park entrance fees, and private and corporate donations.

Yellowstone has existed since 1872 and covers over 2.2 million acres, making it the oldest and second-largest park in the lower 48 states.

For some people, it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Yellowstone, so keeping the park in good shape and continually working on the infrastructure and maintenance is extremely important.